DASA employees raise concerns with President over salary, rank changes

Employees of the Directorate of Aviation Security Administration (DASA) have submitted a petition to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu expressing concern over recent reductions to their salaries and public service ranks. 

The petition, submitted on Sunday on behalf of DASA staff, states that the changes were implemented from 1 November as part of the government’s civil service pay harmonization exercise. Employees are calling for a fair resolution to the issue.

DASA, which operates as a separate agency under the Ministry of Defence, is responsible for regulating aviation security in the Maldives. Its mandate includes setting aviation security rules, designating security areas at airports, and overseeing all security-related activities in the sector.

According to the petition, salary adjustments were made in violation of Civil Service regulations. It notes that under the aviation security structure, the position of Assistant Quality Control Officer at DASA is classified as Public Service Rank 6, equivalent to sergeant level.

However, following the pay harmonization, the rank and salary of employees in this position were reduced, placing them below comparable positions in Aviation Security Company (Avsecom), which are classified at corporal level.

The petition states that DASA and Avsecom staff were previously paid under the same structure, but the recent changes altered DASA employees’ salaries, ranks, and associated positions.

It further states that the harmonized salaries for DASA staff are lower than those paid to employees at aviation service providers such as the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority (MCA) and other institutions in the aviation sector.

Citing International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards applicable in the Maldives, the petition states that salaries of aviation security regulators should be equal to or higher than those in the broader aviation industry. The changes, it argues, therefore also violate ICAO standards.

The petition calls for transferring the management of DASA to the Maldives Civil Aviation Authority. It notes that the authority operates under a sound legal framework, maintains an appropriate organizational structure, and offers comparatively better remuneration within the civil aviation sector.

The petition also highlights staffing concerns, stating that under the Civil Service Commission’s aviation security structure, only eight technical staff are currently employed at DASA, out of an approved structure of 42, to regulate aviation security across the country’s 20 airports.